Spring Pea
Spring Pea Soup with Potato Mascarpone Dumpling & Smoked Salmon
- Jesse Croy, Executive Chef, Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Yield 5l
You’ll need
blender or hand held stick blender
large heavy bottomed pot
A sharp knife
Soup
2 leeks- washed and sliced, use white to yellow only no green
2 onions- diced
50g-unsalted butter
1 kg- fresh local spring peas (sub frozen if unavailable)
3l potato water or fish stock
Sea salt-to taste
Mascarpone Dumpling
1 large Yukon gold potato- peeled and quartered
350g-mascarpone cheese
1 generous pinch-fresh chopped tarragon
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp salt
Garnish
Shredded smoked salmon or grav lox
sautéed fresh pea tendrils
Method
For the dumplings;
Cover the diced potatoes with lightly salted water, bring to boil and reduce heat and simmer until soft. Drain potatoes reserving water for soup. Rice the potatoes until velvety and smooth using a little of the water to help soften, allow to cool to room temp. Fold the rest of the dumpling ingredients into the potatoes using a spatula, season with salt.
For the soup;
On med-low heat in a heavy bottomed pot, sweat onions and leeks in butter until soft, sweet and translucent. Do not brown.
Add half of the stock/water and peas bring to boil. Remove from heat and puree.
Once the soup has been pureed return to the heat and add the remaining peas and stock. Season with salt to taste.
Ladle soup into warm bowls, spoon some of the mascarpone dumpling into the soup. Top with smoked salmon. The dumpling will melt into the soup as it is eaten. If pea tendrils are available sauté in butter and enjoy as a side or as a garnish. It is Important not to add any acid or black pepper as it will compromise the brilliant green color and the sweet salty rich balance of the soup components.